1. Field of Invention
Improvements in lighting devices for motor vehicles today are typically directed toward increasing the illumination of the rear, fixed lights of a motor vehicle, with the objective of reducing rear end collisions by providing a larger illumination surface for alerting following motorists of a driver's intention to stop his vehicle, particularly where high speed travel is involved. Very little attention has been directed toward the lighting of vehicles and the direction toward which the vehicle, particularly tractor trailers are turning. Dangers are acknowledged to exist, particularly associated with turning of tractor trailers in that it is common to have signs posted at the rear of tractor trailers providing a warning that the vehicle makes "wide turns" and that motorists to the rear should be alerted of such turns. Clearly such signs are operative only during the daylight hours when it is indeed easier to detect that a tractor trailer is in the process of cornering, and such signs are of little or no value at night.
2. Description of Prior Art
Applicant is aware of other prior art cornering lights. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,663,696 issued to Miyazawa et al., which teaches a dual purpose lamp assembly for use as a combined fog and cornering lamp positioned in a flood front headlight fixture of a motor vehicle. The Miyazawa headlight includes a movable reflector which is a pivotable such that light rays can be projected forward where the rays function is fog lights, or alternatively the movable reflectors can provide a dual function and be pivoted such that light rays are reflected to the side and function as cornering headlights, as well as illuminating lights in front of the vehicle. This reference also discloses that cornering lights can be used in combination with a turn signal system to supplement such headlights. Miyazawa, however, differs from the present invention in that the lamp assembly is positioned at the front of the vehicle, in the conventional headlight fixture, is not positioned on the side of the body of the vehicle, is directed toward focusing light in front of the vehicle in the direction that the wheels are turning and does not illuminate the area to the side of the vehicle in the direction toward which the vehicle is turning such that it is visible to a following motorist. In another reference, U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,477 issued to Hennessey, teaches cornering lights that are switched on by operating a headlight turn lever, which are connected to a light-detecting sensor for controlling the brightness of illumination. Again, Hennessey is directed toward headlight cornering illumination, and does not disclose use of side lamps for illuminating the area to the side of vehicles. Another prior art device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,405 issued to Hwang, teaches a headlight for a vehicle which is interconnected to the steering mechanism of the vehicle so as to rotate in conjunction with the turning of the front wheels. Hwang also discloses corner lights adjacent to the headlights which are disposed to the right and left corners of the vehicles. The light detecting sensors detect the light of the headlights from opposing vehicles, in controlling brightness of the illumination of the light system to prevent the view of a driver from an opposing vehicle from being disturbed and therefore is distinguishable from applicant's invention.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for a new and improved, effective sidelighting arrangement and to a method for controlled projection of illumination of the side of a vehicle during cornering of such motor vehicle to provide for employment of the improved sidelighting arrangement which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of the prior art.